


Paper Crown

by Anonymous



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Angst, Assassin Dave, Blood, Fantasy elements, Hawk Pogo, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Plot Twists, Royalty AU, Rumors, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-21
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 01:26:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21889039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Upon attempting to murder King Reginald, Prince Klaus was blacklisted and is now on the run from his family and kingdom who think he's nothing but a traitor. Of course they know nothing of the abuse nor the fact he can occasionally see dead people because the King was worried he'd be seen as crazy.Now alone, cold, and struggling among the common folk he had rarely ever been beside he finds out the neighboring kingdom has sent an assassin to kill him. Unfortunately for the King, Klaus has a mysterious way of drawling people in and escaping death with his charmingly good looks.
Relationships: Dave/Klaus Hargreeves, Diego Hargreeves/Eudora Patch
Comments: 5
Kudos: 32
Collections: Anonymous





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I had a dream the other night about this concept and I had to write it even though I’m not very good at writing. I hope you enjoy anyway and let me know what you think.
> 
> I had a lot of inspiration from other writers and such but to name them all would be a chore.

His legs ache but he had to keep running, keep running and never look back. He'd falter he knows, if he saw the soldiers pointing bows at him or his siblings helping in this attack.

Tears run down his face and blur his vision as he makes out of the kingdom gates and into a nearby forest. Darken green and brown merge together in his vision as moonlight guides him.

The sound of hundreds of men walking is close behind and he can't get his heart to settle. He didn't mean it, he'd take it back if they let him. He trips on a tree root and rolls his ankle.

He sits there on the forest floor, holding his ankle and crying softly against the cold breeze. The sound of footsteps in coming closer but his ankle aches and he doesn't think he can run away more...but he must.

He gets up and immediately collapses on the cold dirt. He grinds his teeth before trying again, this time making sure to keep the pressure off his bad ankle. It works and he starts to hobble his way through a thorn bush. Thorns prick his arms and legs and all he can do is bite his lips through the pain.

He falls through it and lays on the other side. His chest is going up and down, heavily he's breathing as his ankle burns and aches. He needs a doctor...but where would he even find one of those? They always had a personal doctor back at the kingdom...

He wants to laugh because that should be the least of his worries. The kingdom is after him and he's about to be hanged at the town square. He curls in a ball and lets his tears turn the hard ground into soft mud.

The footsteps quiet down.

He doesn't really know if that's a good thing or a bad thing but he just lays there, beside the bugs and grime. It makes him icky all over because he's never had the pleasure of touching dirt before. 

He was a prince but now he's a traitor.

————————————————————

He must have fallen asleep because the next thing he knows it's morning and the sun is just beginning to rise. Animals rumble around in the bushes and a bird or two is singing their morning tone. He sits upright and his backaches and from sleeping on a hard surface.

He rubs a hand through his curly hair then drags it down his face and sighs. This sucks, it does, but it's scary too. So terrifying because he's the one on the run, him, and him alone.

He stands, barely, it takes a lot of time and patience to get up. Then he uses the trees to lean on as he makes his way through the rest of the forest. On the other side is a small town with a bunch of nobodies who the kingdom had no care for.

His laced purple suit gave him away though, that he is royalty that is. So first things first, he's got to discard those and find something else to wear. Then after that, he'll find a doctor.

He gets to the edge of the forest and looks into the little village, full of huts and chickens wandering the streets. A house nearest to him has a clothesline and a few shirts and pants are hanging up. Just He takes a deep breath before he wanders over to it, slowly, since his injury doesn't allow for much movement.

He takes off a shirt and a pair of pants, both a tan ugly color, the kind common folk always wore. He changes into them right there in plain sight, he didn't have many options. Luckily no one saw him and he escaped into the main dirt road with his purple rags in his hand.

He wanders around, searching for a merchant of some sort, someone who can take these purple rags and give him a couple of coins. Anything really, if not he can't see a doctor or get any food.

He finds one, a merchant, hiding away in a back alley between two restaurants. He wonders back to the man who's face is obscured with a hood and he realizes he needs one of those. Everyone knows who he is, he's a prince and his face is memorable.

He needs a hood.

"Hey my good man," he starts and his voice comes out all hoarse and shaky so it doesn't sound as happy as he was trying to. It's almost embarrassing and his cheeks start to heat. "What can I get for these?" He hands over the purple rags and the merchant looks them over. 

"Good condition, aside from some dirt, very fancy. Where did you find such an item?" The man inquires and Klaus's mind goes blank.

"Found them in the forest," he settles on, his lips curl in a smile, "picked them right off a dead body..." he chuckles and the man looks at him with narrowed eyes before joining in on his chuckles. 

The man pulls out a bundle of cash and hands him two hundred. He takes the money although he knows those rags were worth a lot more.

He turns his attention to leaving and he's greeted by the sight of a man watching him, from afar. He's leaning against a building on the other side of a town but it's clear to see that he's staring right at him. It's now that though that makes his heart drop, it's the badge he's wearing on his chest, the one that symbolizes he's an assassin.

He tries to calm down, tries to stop his hands from being so sweaty. They never wore those badges when they were on a job, there's no way that man is here for him. That would be stupid.

The man kicks off the way and rips the badge off his chest and throws it behind him before disappearing into a nearby building. 

His hand's shake as he escapes the alleyway. He doesn't need a doctor or food if he didn't get out of here he'd be dead. So he got out of town, one step at a time, he kept looking back and ignores the sudden feeling of eyes on him.

————————————————————

He ends up into county land, he passes farm after farm. He ends up taking an apple or two from passing trees but he doesn't feel as much guilt as he thought he would. He's hungry, the food is right there, it's a fight for survival right?

Someone is following him, he can feel the eyes and the bloodthirsty aura they are giving off. They are here for his head. Each time he turns around he sees nothing but he knows that they are probably in the forest he's walking beside.

He takes a deep breath and ignores the sun beating down on him. His skin is starting to redden, he's so pale he burns easily. He licks his lips and turns into the forest. He needs to get out of the forest and more likely than not, he's just imagining that he's being followed.

He walks in some, only stopping once he finds a clearing with a rock he can sit on. He plops down on it and hurts his butt. He groans and lifts up his pant's legs so he can get a good look at his ankle, his right one, the one that's all swelled and yellowish. He cringes before rubbing at it.

It strings.

He sighs and gently props his foot upon a nearby rock. He sits there, feeling awful and run down. He just wants to go home, lay in his nice soft bed and have everyone one of his needs care for by the servants of the castle.

He throws his head in his hands and curses himself. He's a complete idiot why did he give it up? Why couldn't he keep his feelings in check? Why did he let his imagination make him do something so disgusting?

He meant to kill the king, that much is true, but now thinking about it...he regrets it so much. He was just too high, too calm, he had too much time and let his mind run wild.

He's just an idiot.

A bush rattles in front of him, and slowly a man comes out from the shadows. He stares at him, this assassin, this man who is here to end his life. He smiles to himself, accepting this for what it is.

The man unsheathes his sword and in one quick motion thrusts it into his face, only stopping when it's a centimeter away and leaning straight in between his eyes. 

His stomach flips and flops as his body starts to tremble. That made his heart race, the adrenaline, the friction, he was so ready for it but now...he's terrified.

"Are you Prince Klaus of the Umbra Kingdom?" The assassin asks him and he starts to laugh. He grabs his stomach and throws his back as he lets it all out.

The man looks perplexed at him and his grip falters on the sword. Klaus takes that moment to grab the blade with his bare hand, immediately slicing into his flesh and causing blood to gush out onto the blade and ground.

The man drops the sword and in all honesty, Klaus hadn't expected that nor did he expect to see that complete horror on that man's face. "Prince, your hand!" The man sputters, rushing forward and dropping on his knees and flips over Klaus's palm and examines it.

A long cut runs across it and it somehow makes him happy. Underneath all the pain and blood loss he feels good. Tears run down his face anyway and his voice refuses to surface.

"What were you thinking?" The man sputters as he rummages in his bag and pulls out alcohol and a needle and thread. He first dumps the alcohol into his wound.

Klaus pulls his hand away and hisses and grinds his teeth. "Holy shit," the man grabs his hand again and pulls it back. He grabs the needle and begins to threat string through it. "This is going to hurt...close your eyes," the man thrusts the needle into his skin and weaves it through his skin.

He closes his eyes immediately and grinds his teeth so hard he can hear them crackle. Noises still tumble out of his lips, loud horrifying noises, he's close to screaming. It's the worse pain he's ever had and it just keeps happening. The needle goes in and out of his skin and he can't even feel his hand anymore, only the pain.

He wishes they would have just cut it off.

"Done," the man says as he starts to bandage his hand up. 

"Why did you do that?" He whispers, hoarsely, his voice almost cracks. "Aren't you here to kill me?" 

"Yes, well no...not anymore." The man wipes the blood on his hands off on his pants before pulling a letter out of his bag. "Here it's from your sister."

Sister? Allison...or Vanya?

He opens it up, slowly, he's completely unable to move his injured hand at the moment. The pain is starting to numb though although he knows it's just back it's starting to feel good in a weird sense. He's always had a pain tolerance.

'Dear brother, I do hope you haven't died yet. We miss you dearly but respect your decision although we are unable to join you we keep your health in mind. This man was sent by King Leonard to aid our father and please don't think lowly of me but I thought you could need an ally. So I rumored him, please forgive me but this man is now convinced he wants to be your bodyguard. Treat him well and please be safe wherever you go. Your sister, Allison.'

He looks up at the man and feels guilty.

"I'm Dave, no last name to speak of, you forfeit those once you join the ranks," Dave says to him, as he leans down on his knees and bows. "I'll be at your service for whatever you desire...let me be your arms and legs my prince."

He crumples up the letter and looks upon the man with a grin. "Oh my dearest Dave, I'm happy to accept your services."

Dave looks up with a soft smile and a tilt to his head. A bird chirps in a nearby tree and the sudden smell of dirt surrounds him, them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags will most likely update with the story so please take note of them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks you for all the comments I appreciate it.

He expected a manly man, a bodyguard whose bravery knows no bounds, instead, he got an overbearing mother. You need a doctor Dave says, You need a bath he repeats for the fifth time, and the one that makes Klaus draw the line in the sand "I can carry you if you'd like, My Prince."

He turns around and crosses his hands across his chest. The movement simultaneously strains his ankle and hand. He should probably be on bed rest but the world isn't going to wait on him.

"I am not a princess and I refuse to be coddled like one!" He points a finger into Dave's chest, hard. "I'm not even a prince anymore so quit your blabbering."

Dave looks hurt but he nods in agreement. Klaus briefly wonders if this is all Allison's doing too. How is a motherly bodyguard supposed to help him?

"Where can we even go?" He sighs out, asking Dave but really asking himself. He's a fugitive now, isn't he? He's a bad guy, no one would ever harbor him.

Sure he was a prince but he never had a following of sorts. He has no power left if he had any to begin with...his father always hoarded that. The Umbra kingdom was always considered a powerhouse ruled by a man with an iron fist. They always won every war, they always took every odd job, there were even rumors that they once killed a dragon.

If they did he wasn't there for it.

"I suppose we can go up to the Tonga Tribe, at least for a day or two. I doubt the news has spread that far," Dave points up to a mountain, gesturing to its entirely.

"Tonga huh? I always thought they were further away," he strokes his beard and wracks his head for why it sounds so familiar. He begins to walk towards it all the while feeling a sense of emptiness.

Dave trails behind him, giving off all these weird vibes. He can't even tell Klaus straight to his face that he's worried he'll fall and that's why he's staying behind him.

He sighs and drops his hand, content with the fact that he'll never know.

"You should probably wear a hood," Dave says behind him hesitantly and it gives Klaus the shivers. Hearing the words whispered like that...he ignores that thought.

"And? Where do you expect me to get one of those?" He asks Dave, still putting on foot in front of the other, trudging on although he really just wants to go home and see his family.

Luther, the next in line, always by their father's side. Allison, Miss perfect, always has to get recognition. And Diego-

_Diego_

That's where he's heard that name before. Diego was wedded to the princess of Tonga in an effort to join the two worlds together, Tonga and Umbra. It makes his blood boil to see how close it is because Diego always claimed he could never come visit because it was 'too far away.'

"We can buy one in Tonga."

He frowns at the mountain, at its terrible green hue. His brother is there and he really doesn't want to see him...

What if he knows?

"I suppose," he whispers out, not at all interested in voicing this worry to someone who is still a stranger.

————————————————————

They travel up a dirt path of the mountain, passing wildlife and exotic plants alike. Even though he was adamant about not needing help he, in fact, did need help. He ends up leaning on Dave as they walk and receives no complaints.

"How did you end up working for someone like Peabody?"

"He's a King and you must refer to him as Leonard," Dave says with a bite to his tone as if he still has some Fidelity left for that man. Rumors only go so far Klaus supposes.

"My apologies," he swallows, feeling the way Dave's arm grows heavy around his waist and how hot the heat radiating off his body is. "How did you end you working for King Leonard?"

"It isn't like we've got a choice, you either join the ranks or die on the streets," Dave says, looking away with his eyes closing for a moment. 

He feels his heartbeat and it's hurting. He never really cared much about the outside world and yet, he feels as if he's heard of this before. 

Peabody is just a power-hungry king, only getting the throne due to special circumstances. He was never supposed to be King and yet he's not happy with the position he's been gifted.

Even his father has started to see Peabody as a problem, not a threat, but a problem nonetheless. Even despite all that, his father has tried to join the two kingdoms together in an alliance by offering Klaus's rather ordinary sister's hand in marriage. Peabody has turned it down, multiple times, simply because Vanya will never have any hope of becoming the queen of Umbra due to her being seventh in line for the throne.

He was lucky to be born fourth in line...at least he had a chance of being King in this lifetime. He blew that though like he does with most things.

The sun goes down behind them as they climb. He stays silent and so does Dave, it's not awkward though, it's actually quite pleasing Klaus thinks.

Then his hand aches and he hisses and it's not pleasing at all. He's too reckless, isn't he? What's the point of running away if he runs towards death so easily?

————————————————————

They finally make to the gates as the moon comes up. A cold breeze blows around them and he shivers against Dave. Dave gives his back a pat as they walk through the open and extremely suspicious gates.

As soon as they make it inside a shadow pops out from the right side and a spear is pointed to his throat. He gives a smile and the spear is pulled out of the attackers grasp rather easily by Dave. "Prince Klaus?" The shadow asks, small and weak. 

Clearly, the Tonga tribe is too easy going. What kind of sane tribe would allow a child to guard the door? "I suppose I am," he says harshly, Dave glares at this small child.

"Is my brother here?" He asks and the child giggles. He doesn't laugh back.

The child immediately tenses up and then bows his head in apology. "He's with Princess Eudora in their private quarters currently..."

Oh, lovely private times.

"Can we have a place to stay? Pretty please..." he begs which is not a good look on a royal he's been told by his father but it just feels natural. It's not like his father could hate him any more than he currently does.

"Of course," the child gushes as he walks away, gesturing for them to follow. "Your brother talks about you and Luther, and Allison, and-"

"You sound awfully close," he almost sounds like he's accusing him of something because he is. He is supposed to refer to Diego as a prince along with Luther and Allison a princess.

"He's been giving me lessons on knife throwing and even swordsmanship. He says one day I'll be just as good as he is!" The child spins around and gives a wink. "Can you use a sword?" He asks him and it pulls at his heartstrings.

"No," he mumbles, embarrassment crawling up his skin. Dave is silent beside him, simply holding his side and taking the pressure off his ankle.

He's surprised the child hasn't asked about this man yet, Dave. He's probably assumed it would be rude to do so.

The smell of cinnamon wafts out of the building they are led to and an orange glow engulfs some of the windows. Inside is warm, even cozy feeling, and it makes him want to cry. It just feels so familiar to the life he left behind.

"Here you go," the child gestures inside a room, featuring a bed against the left wall and a bed against the right. "I'll let Diego know you're here when he awakens," the child says hurriedly before running away, not even allowing Klaus a chance to tell him to please not do that.

He sighs and pushes off of Dave. He stumbles inside but quickly finds his balance and he walks to the left bed and lands on it with a thud. Familiar, comfort, just so good. He can't help that tears pool in his eyes and no matter how much he wipes at them they start to trail down his cheeks.

"Are you okay...Prince?"

He cries even hard as Dave walks over, as Dave looks down at him with pure concern rattling him. "Prince?" Dave asks, extending his hand out but stopping just before touching him. 

"I'm not-" he sobs, rubbing at his eyes as the bed seems to suck him in. The glow of a few candles flicker and make him remember the long nights of staying up and telling ghost stories with his siblings. "I'm not a prince anymore," those days he had took for granted are gone now and they are never coming back.

Dave sits down on his knees on the side of the bed. He pats his head gently and very slowly. Klaus wants to tell him to stop but all he can feel, with his eyes closed, is his mother rubbing his head when he's sick.

"Sorry," he says through all his blubbering. "I know royals are never supposed to cry but it's just-"

Dave shushes him. 

"Who says that?" 

He doesn't answer.

Dave stays at his bedside until his crying slows down and his body becomes adjusted to this uncomfortably familiar setting.

————————————————————

In the morning he gets up before Dave. He gets to look at his bodyguard's sleeping face, he looks so much younger when he's relaxed like this.

He smiles to himself and wipes the sleep out of his puffy eyes. He stretches and walks out of their quarters and makes his way outside for some fresh air.

His hand pounds and it's red around the edges...it could be infected. Not that he's entirely worried about it at the moment but it's still something to keep in mind.

The morning sun glares down on him and he curses it while he cracks his neck. He admires the small village that he's found himself in. 

A fire in the center, lots of housing, a small stream seems to run nearby because he can faintly hear it over the sounds of talking...a voice that sounds familiar speaks.

He turns his attention to the source of the voice and finds his brother in a robe, standing by the gates of the village with a hawk on his arm. He'd know that hawk anywhere, it's the Hargreeves's messenger bird Pogo. Unlike most messing hawks it doesn't bring letters but words, it can speak. He is a scientific achievement if you asked his father.

Pogo's beak opens and closes as his feathers seem to ruffle. He's telling something ghastly, isn't he? That's one way to describe a son trying to murder his own father.

He leans against the building and hides away so Pogo can't see him but he can still see his brother's reaction. The way Diego tenses up, the way he closes his eyes and looks away with disgust, and the way his posture seems to be stiff.

Pogo flys away after spilling all Klaus's dirty secrets. Diego rubs a hand down his face and turns around, only by chance does his eyes lock on his.

He stands up straight and rubs a hand along his neck as his face heats up. His brother glares at him, hard, before starting to walk towards him. Dread fills up his heart and he takes a step back, only to bump into a warm body, Dave.

"Do you know him?" Dave asks, his posture excusing distrust.

"He's my brother," he says hoarsely, wanting, needing to run and escape, he can't handle this.

"Is he our enemy?" Dave asks him without any of his usual gingerness.

"I don't know," he replies honestly, but if the daggers his brother's eyes are shooting into his chest are any indication...he is.


End file.
